- Iris pallida
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Iris pallida 
Iris pallida ssp. pseudopallida Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Monocots Order: Asparagales Family: Iridaceae Subfamily: Iridoideae Tribe: Irideae Genus: Iris Subgenus: Iris Species: I. pallida Binomial name Iris pallida
Lam.Synonyms Iris cengialti (lapsus)
Iris cengialtii Ambros.
Iris daenensis Kotschy ex Baker
Iris klattii Kem.-Nath.Iris pallida (Dalmatian Iris or Sweet Iris) is native to the Dalmatian coast (Croatia) but widely naturalised elsewhere. It is a member of the subgenus iris, meaning that it is a bearded iris, and grows from a rhizome.
It is cultivated for extraction of essential oils from its rhizome (orris root). This iris prefers rocky places in the mediterranean and submediterranean zone and reaches sometimes montane regions at its southern range in Montenegro. It grows to a stem height of 50 to 80 centimeters. The leaves are bluish-green in color, and sword-shaped, 40 to 50 centimeters in length, and 2.5 to 3 centimeters in width. The inflorescence, produced in May/June, is fan-shaped and contains two or three flowers which are usually pale purplish to whitish.
Subspecies
Three subspecies of Iris pallida s.l. are recognised by some authors as species: Iris pallida ssp. cengialti (with deep purplish flowers) from Slovenia and adjacent Italy, Iris pallida ssp.illyrica from the North Dalmatian coast, Iris pallida ssp. pseudopallida from the South Dalmatian coast. Another subspecies is Iris pallida ssp. musulmanica. The newly-described Orjen Iris (I. orjenii) has white flowers.
References
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